ObesityHelp

4/29/01
I am so excited about having my surgery on July 11th. My only concern is that I will fail again at an attempt to get healthy. I have a good friend who had this done over 10 years ago. She is pretty negative about it. She is definitely healthier and thinner than before, but keeps telling me that only a small percentage of people actually achieve their goals and keep it off. I am going ahead despite those comments. This is for me and the rest of my healthy life!

6/2/01
I used this site almost every day to encourage me before the surgery. You guys have no idea how much it helps. I am going to try and do the same. Maybe something I say will inspire others. Only 5 weeks to go before surgery. Yesterday, the insurance company FINALLY gave me a hospital pre-cert of 3 nights. That was much harder than getting the insurance approval..so strange. I have been stressing myself so much at work over trying to have everything I can done before surgery that I finally just collapsed yesterday and started running a high fever. I think I just needed to get some rest. I am trying to do about a year's worth of work in a couple of months so that no one will have problems on any of my projects or accounts while I am out. I do fear that I will try to push myself to go back to work too early. Guess my family instilled in me an unobtainable work ethic. Never be out sick. Well, I am determined to take the time I need to get well this time. Let's see if I can stick to that promise to myself. Monday starts some of the preop testing, and I am getting so excited about having a new birthday...July 11th.

7/8/01
Only a few days to go. Today I finally wrote my will, just in case! But I am feeling calm about everything except have I taken care of everything? Also a bit anxious about my after care. Everything is not totally set up yet, but I am going to "let go and let God." Best I think I can do right now. I have an angel now. She is such a wonderful friend; I feel as if we are family. She had to join the site to become an angel, but was willing to do that for me to post my progress. She has NO weight problem, but is truly an angel in every sense of the word. My mother used to tell me there were angels here on earth. She even pointed out a few. I think I found one, too.

7/8/01
I just realized that I actually have a whole lot of angels. Family and friends are joining efforts to help me. I have been trying to not make her stay with me too much because she has always been the caretaker to everyone. She is so sweet and loving..and the best mom ever. She is supposed to help with some after care, but her husband may need her if he has to have some surgery. He needs to come first for her, so I will figure out what we need to do if that happens. Everything will be fine, right?

7/17/01
Almost a week since surgery now. I am going to try and recap the experience. Pre-op was fine. The morning of surgery, I arrived at about 5:20 a.m. with my friend, Sally. The epidural was inserted along with the IV and I was off! Ginny (my step-mother) and Christina (another friend) waited while my operation lasted about 2.5 hours and I was in recovery about another 3 hours. The pain pump worked well for the most part (more about that later). I was up walking at 4:30 p.m. The agreement is that once we have walked, the NG tube is out. So I got my butt up as quickly as possible to get that horrible NG tube out. During the early night, I started itching from the pain meds. Seems that they make your body release histamines. Well, my histamines were in full force. Benadryl shots did not do much.

7/18/01
Continuing on.....The hospital tried another med (Nubain), which pretty much relieved the itching. One big problem: they gave out of Nubain after my 2 doses and were unable to get more the entire length of my stay. The pain management did adjust the ratio of pain/numbing meds so that I got more numbing meds instead of the stuff making me itch so severely. My friend Chris came up with another idea that may help some of you. She wrapped my legs in pillowcases before putting on the leg machines. The fabric was causing me to itch more.

The first night in the hospital, at about 2 am, I began to have a tremendous amount of pain. By 4 pm, I decided to get up and walk. When I got out of bed, I felt some liquid run down my leg. We discovered that during one of my scratching episodes, I had unhooked the epidural line and the meds were going onto the bed and not in me!

7/19/01
More about the hospital stay: I continued walking as much as possible and trying to live through the horrible itching. My surgery was on Wednesday at the crack of dawn. By Friday afternoon, I was wondering why I had not had some nourishment other than clear liquids. Come to find out (from another patient) that I should have been receiving some solid foods and milk starting on Thursday morning. They brought me part of my Friday night supper after complaining. On Saturday morning, my meal was supposed to be cream of wheat, yogurt, crystal light, hot tea, and milk. I got yogurt, crystal light, and a cup of hot water with SUGAR!!! (a big no, no) minus the tea bag. The first meal I got correct was just before leaving on Saturday. Please take along someone with you to the hospital. These places can be dangerous to your health!

Since being home, I have tried using liquid Tylenol as much as possible in place of the Roxicet because of the lightheadedness the narcotics give me. The pain has not been too bad. The eating was sort of interesting and fun the first 2-3 days. Then I started craving real food like everyone else was having. I keep telling myself that this is only for a little while.

8/11/01
Well, one month and 28 pounds gone. I can see it in my face, but it hasn't shown up on the rest of me yet. Someone told me that your body usually shows on about week 8. I have hit my first plateau. The 28 pounds has been the same for 4 days, but I am not going to worry. How the heck can I not lose weight eating this little?

4/13/02
Sorry for the long delay in posting. I am down 98 pounds now at 9 months out. Size 14. I want to lose 30 more to make goal. This is the most wonderful thing that has ever happened to me!